Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
James
I shouldn’t have stormed the fuck out of there. She didn’t deserve my anger because none of this was her fault. My hatred and mistrust of my brother shouldn’t have ever touched her.
I’d pulled up as she let him in. The bastard had gotten the images and her address along with the check before I could. He knew damn well what he was playing at. He watched the footage. I was late working too long today.
When Elizabeth ran into my office out of breath, and said, “Boss, you need to see the ad images. I just sent them to you. Your father sent them over. That means they already have them.” I looked at the clock and paled.
I opened them and growled. Each image was more provocative than my brain remembered.
The video made me stiff all over again, and then my soul dropped when I heard my voice with Claude’s.
There was no doubt about my attraction, and my brother would use that against me for sure. The bastard would do whatever he could to get to her. As I sat outside, I had to decide whether to storm the door or just trust her.
A part of me worried that she wasn’t safe with him.
What if he just took advantage of her without her permission?
But would he go that far just to hurt me?
I got out of the car, unable to wait any longer, and pounded on the door like a damn madman.
My reaction was ridiculous, but seeing Henry’s shirt open like that, I wanted to kill him.
I already noticed the way Ava was dressed.
It was almost seven at night and she just got out of work—of course my kitten was relaxing and unwinding when the jackass showed up.
When she tossed us out, I understood, but that didn’t stop the pain in my chest. I was pissed at myself nearly as much as I was at Henry. He forced me to lose control. Never in my life had I been so afraid of losing someone, and he’d smiled like he won. It was the last fucking straw.
I drove around for an hour and decided to return to apologize. Even if she never wanted to see me again, I needed to explain myself and my terrible behavior.
I’d gotten to the curb only to find that son of a bitch had pulled back up. I whipped out of my car, hardly remembering to turn the engine off. “What the fuck is your problem? You didn’t learn the fucking first time?”
“She has my tablet in there, you dick. I need it back.”
“She’s not yours. She’s mine, and if you ever go near her again, I’m going to kill you.” I pushed him aside as I marched up her stoop. “I’ll get the fucking tablet for you.”
“Relax. Just doing my job, James. I can’t help it that every girl wants me.”
The door flew open before I could beat the hell out of him.
Ava looked right past me at Henry with a flat expression.
“The files have been deleted from your tablet. I don’t want you to touch my pictures.
You’re fucking disgusting, and if you ever make a comment about me sexually again, I’ll sue the shit out of you for harassment.
You’re fucking vile.” She slammed the tablet into my brother’s chest and said, “Get away from me before I call the cops. You…” she stared me down “…get in here now.” I followed her command like a goddamn puppy. My dick had never been harder.
“So did you see the video?”
“Yes, I did.” I nodded, willing to appease her. She was a hot fireball when she was pissed.
“All of it?”
“Yes.”
“Is it true?”
“Since you came in my arms, you know that was real. That means you were talking about my conversation with Claude, and that, my sweet Ava, couldn’t be more real. I don’t want these images out there. Fuck my father’s company.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Damn right.”
“What is this between us, James?”
“I don’t know, but it’s intense and real. From the moment I met you, I knew you were the one. So, let’s not waste any more time with Henry’s bullshit.”
“It is bullshit, right?” Her expression went from desire to uncertainty.
Henry was a dead man walking. “What lies was he even feeding you?”
“He said you were out meeting another woman—a model, to be specific. Is it true?” She kept her eyes on me, but she struggled with her gaze as the question hurt.
I cupped her jaw and forced her attention on my face.
“I told you at the photo shoot. I’m not that kind of guy.
In fact, you can thank my brother for the fact that I stay away from women.
Two times I’ve had a girlfriend of sorts, and both times he stole them from me.
That line we crossed was the furthest I’ve ever been with a woman. ”
“What?”
“Yep. I’m telling you the truth, baby. My brother has made sure that I never get close. Why do you think I wanted to kill him right now?”
“Because he was doing it again?” I never wanted her to feel like another number. She was special.
“No, because he was going after the one woman who meant the most to me in the entire world. Those girls were nothing. I don’t even remember their names.
They were just girls that liked me, or at least I thought they did.
But you were something else—or rather, are—and he knew it when he watched that video and saw how much I needed you and how much I craved you, so he tried to steal you from me.
” I swallowed the lump in my throat. I’d never said so much and felt so deeply before.
There was no manual for this emotional business.
I was a tech guy, and girls were out of my realm.
She pressed her hand to my chest, and this time the burn was soul scorching.
I didn’t want to leave, but it was getting late and we both had to work in the morning.
As much as I’d love to take her down on the nearest surface, I wouldn’t do it unless she said so, but damn, did I want to taste those lips again.
“Kiss me, James.” I nodded and slid my hand to the back of her neck, taking her mouth slowly at first before pushing our kiss deeper.
Our mouths crossed and parted as I pushed my tongue along the seam of her lips to make my way in.
A low rumble fell from my chest as I replayed the other day when I was between her legs, teasing her tight little pussy.
Her hands slipped under my coat and then my suit until she tugged my dress shirt free from my pants. Fuck. I pulled away to help, but then she froze with fear in her eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“Am I being too forward?”
“God, no. I’m just taking these off. I need to know if this is what you want because you can tell me to buzz off. The job, the ad, and everything have nothing to do with what’s between us.” She paused for what felt like eternity.
She bit her tongue and then shook her head lightly. Her pretty hazel eyes were heated, and her voice softened when she said, “James, please stay.”
That was all I needed to hear. My heart thumped furiously against my ribs to the point I knew I’d ache in the morning like I’d gone five rounds with Tommy.